Common Sense Seeks Promo Hiatus Post-Newtown

Common Sense Media says it has asked the commissioners ofthe NBA and NFL -- whose seasons are currently in full swing -- as well as topTV sports programmers to temporarily pull promos for violent video games andmovies from broadcasts.

The group has periodically asked programmers not to air suchpromos in sports broadcasts they argue are prime family viewing time, but thelatest request for a temporary standstill comes in the wake of the Newtownshootings.

"We've surfaced this issue a couple of times in thepast," says Crista Sumanik, communications manager for the group."Most recently [in 2009] we looked at the ads played in NFL games, reviolence and sexual content. Our impetus this time relates to the conversationthat is happening nationwide."

That conversation is about what, if any, responsibilityviolent media has for the societal violence that erupts in tragedies likeNewtown, Aurora, Virginia Tech and Columbine.

"As you are aware, the sports and media industries havetremendous influence when it comes to the messages and images that fans -- manyof whom are kids and families -- see during televised sporting events. In thecontext of the recent tragedy in Newtown, Conn. -- and as policymakers inWashington, D.C., decide what action needs to be taken to reduce the culture ofviolence in the U.S. -- Common Sense Media has called on David Stern, Roger Goodell,and the executives of Turner Sports, Fox Sports, CBS Sports, NBC Sports, andESPN to temporarily stop airing ads for violent video games and movies duringprogramming watched by millions of kids and their families."

An ESPN spokesperson said the company does not generallycomment on advertising, but added that "we have worked with our advertisers to respond appropriately" to the events in Newtown. A CBS spokesperson had no comment. Others had notreturned a request for comment at presstime.

A spokesperson for Common Sense said they had not gotten anyresponse at presstime.